The Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan shoots as he is defended by the Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma, left, and Lonzo Ball during the second half of Friday’s game in San Antonio. DeRozan again lit up the Lakers in a 133-120 Spurs victory. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma, right, looks to pass the ball as the Spurs’ Rudy Gay defends during the first half of Friday’s game in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

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Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) drives around San Antonio Spurs’ Rudy Gay during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs’ Rudy Gay (22) fights for the ball against Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, right, and JaVale McGee during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) shoots against San Antonio Spurs’ Jakob Poeltl during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers’ Josh Hart (3) and JaVale McGee during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Michael Beasley (11) drives against San Antonio Spurs’ Derrick White during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James shoots during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

The Lakers’ LeBron James drives between the Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge, left, and Rudy Gay during the first half of Friday’s 133-120 loss in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan, right, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers’ JaVale McGee defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton, right, talks to referee Karl Lane during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs’ Jakob Poeltl (25) shoots next to Los Angeles Lakers’ JaVale McGee, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, right, and Tyson Chandler talk to referee Karl Lane during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma (0) reaches for the ball next to San Antonio Spurs’ Davis Bertans during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) drives against San Antonio Spurs’ Dante Cunningham during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich signals to his players during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) questions referee Karl Lane (77) about a call during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James sits on the bench during a timeout in the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, talks to Spurs forward Davis Bertans during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball, right, passes the ball as he evades San Antonio Spurs’ Davis Bertans during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) reacts to a call by referee Karl Lane during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

San Antonio Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James talks to referee Ashley Moyer-Gleich during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma, right, runs upcourt during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball (2) shoots as San Antonio Spurs’ Bryn Forbes looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ JaVale McGee laughs on the bench during a time out in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma, left, drives the lane against San Antonio Spurs’ Rudy Gay during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball, left, and Kyle Kuzma talk during a time out in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 133-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Two nights after closing convincingly against the Spurs at home, the Lakers (15-10) were closed out themselves, completely shut down in a 44-21 fourth quarter in which they looked gassed.

Their four-game winning streak came to a halt at the AT&T Center, stopped by the likes of DeMar DeRozan (36 points, eight rebounds, nine assists), who had three straight unanswered baskets that effectively snuffed the Lakers with two minutes to go. In the 133-120 defeat, the Lakers themselves showed signs of fatigue late in a game that just seemed to drag on.

Four of the Lakers starters were forced into big minutes thanks to the absences of Brandon Ingram (left ankle sprain) and Rajon Rondo (right hand fracture), playing more than 35 minutes each. And while LeBron James (35 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds) started stronger than anyone, even he faded, hitting just 1 for 6 in the final quarter.

By comparison, the Spurs were 15 for 21 from the field in their fourth-quarter assault, paying the Lakers back for the 43 points they dropped in the fourth of their win on Wednesday night at Staples Center.

“They didn’t miss,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “It’s tough to get out and run when you’re taking the ball out of the net every time.”

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The Lakers’ defeat was authored by the screen-and-roll attack of the Spurs. In the fourth quarter, as they blitzed, the Lakers defense was allowing San Antonio’s ball-handlers to make passes out of double-teams, leading to easy layups for Jakob Poeltl (14 points) who loomed large down the stretch, or 3-pointers for Davis Bertans, who hit four in the period.

The Spurs went on a blistering 17-4 run, taking the lead from the team that had been ahead for most of the night. Energy plays also played a role: In one sequence, Patty Mills took a charge from James in front of the Spurs bench, then got a layup at the other end to make it a one-point game and energize the home crowd.

The Lakers attempted to adjust with a small-ball lineup to boost their offense and allow them to switch, but that wasn’t an answer either: DeRozan switched onto whoever he liked in that sequence, extending the lead to 11 points with just two minutes left. It was part of a titanic run for DeRozan, who scored 30 or more points in every game of the four-game season series – Ingram, who likely would’ve defended him if healthy, was particularly missed.

In all, the Lakers shot just 8 for 24 in the final frame. Walton mentioned with disappointment that the offense wasn’t able to get one basket in transition during that stretch. But defense was the main problem.

“They had eight guys in double digits, the ball was moving, they were coming off pin-downs and hitting four-point plays,” Walton said.

James was more frustrated with the officiating, although he limited his postgame comments to a shrug. The Spurs had 33 free-throw attempts to the Lakers’ 21, and DeRozan alone was 14 for 18 at the stripe.

Even without Ingram, the team’s third-leading scorer, offense initially flowed easily for the Lakers, who scored 72 points in the first half.

The two starting forwards keyed the attack, with Kuzma getting 13 of his points in the first quarter, then James scoring 14 of his in the second. The Lakers led by as much as 15 midway through the second quarter, powering ahead with a 14-2 run that at one brief segment made it appear they might run away altogether.

But the Lakers are done with the Spurs – not just for the night, but for the season after San Antonio took the series 3-1. A back-to-back game at Memphis, always a tough opponent, looms for a Lakers team that is just 5-6 on the road.

“This one, we wanted to even the series with this team but give all the credit to them,” James said. “They executed very well. Their second unit came in and gave them a lot of life in that fourth quarter and turned it around.”

"I thought we played well enough to win that game for three quarters then they just took over in that fourth."